Tiananmen Square vigil organisers found guilty in Hong Kong of ‘inciting subversion’

Two Hong Kong activists have been convicted of inciting subversion for their roles in organizing annual vigils commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Lee Cheuk-yan, 69, and Chow Hang-tung, 41, were found to have "incited other persons to organise, plan, commit or participate in acts by unlawful means with a view to subverting the state power."

The pair, who were leaders of the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance, face a maximum of 10 years in prison. Sentencing will be determined at a later date. A third defendant, former lawmaker Albert Ho, had previously pleaded guilty.

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incited other persons to organise, plan, commit or participate in acts by unlawful means with a view to subverting the state power

Hong Kong and Macau were once the only places on Chinese territory where public vigils for the Tiananmen victims were permitted. However, such commemorations have been effectively banned since China imposed a national security law on Hong Kong in 2020, following large-scale pro-democracy protests.

Rights group Amnesty International has criticized the case, stating that it relies on "vague, overly broad and arbitrary definitions of ‘subversion’." The convictions are viewed by many as a stark example of the diminishing freedom of expression in the city.

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vague, overly broad and arbitrary definitions of ‘subversion’